The door opened, and Elise stepped inside. “Hello, Papa. I’m back from my walk about town with Nick.” She pulled off her bonnet. “I see you’ve made it quite warm in here. Were you chilled?”
“Just a bit, but don’t go worrying that I’ve caught some horrible sickness. I’m just getting old.”
She gave a good-natured laugh. “You shall never be old, Papa.” She made her way to the oven.
“I just put the fire in order,” he said, hoping he hadn’t ruined anything. “I’m sorry to say it got away from me. The stove too, but I just added wood to both.”
She turned before reaching the oven and came to kiss the top of his head. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Oh, I invited Nick to come to dinner. I hope that’s all right.”
“It is. It’ll be good to go over a few things with him before we head out tomorrow.”
“So they were finally able to load theMary Elise?”
“They’re doing it tonight. There are a couple of other ships ahead of us.”
She quickly pulled on her apron. “I’ll finish up the laundry, then. I have some ironing to do.” She checked the food in the oven. “It looks perfect.”
“Elise...” He paused and shook his head.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.” He forced a smile. “Thanks for your hard work.”
She came and gave him a hug. “I love taking care of you, Papa.”
“Your mother always said that she took great joy in serving me.” His eyes dampened. “I wish I’d served her more.”
“But you always served her! Mama said as much. She said she never once felt unloved or forgotten. You made her feel safe and protected and loved. What better service could you offer?” Elise stood back, and he looked up. She frowned, no doubt because of his tears.
“She helped me be more than I was without her. Now I fear I’m a lesser man.”
“Nonsense. I’m a better woman for what she gave to me, and I will always have that. Just as you will always have her mark on your heart and life. No one can take that from you.”
“I miss her greatly.”
“I know, and I do too.” Elise sat down beside him. “But I keep thinking of how unhappy she’d be to imagine we’d given up on life or let her passing rob us of our joy. What a dishonor to her to spend all our time mourning her loss. Mama was a woman of life and love. She wouldn’t want to be the cause of such grief and sorrow. She would tell us, ‘Rejoice in the Lord always,’ just as the Bible says.”
Bill considered this and knew his daughter was right. Mary would have admonished him to take hold of the joy God gave, to focus on all that was yet to come from His blessings rather than dwell on what could never be.
“I can hear her saying those very words.” He gave Elise a sad smile. “I will endeavor to take hold of the joy and love God offers me.”
He felt the warmth again. It was time to put aside his mantle of mourning. He knew there would still be sorrow on occasion. He would still know loneliness most of the time. But he would also seek God’s joy, no longer waiting on love when he already had it in abundance from his daughter and friends.
The image of his sweet wife came to mind once again as if to give her approval.“No big jobis done all at once, Bill. Slow and steady willsee you through with God’s help.”She had often said that when tasks seemed daunting. Even during the darkest storms, she had often reminded him that each step forward was still a movement of progress.
He smiled to himself and sighed. He didn’t have to completely miss her. She was always there with him in his thoughts and memories.
Chapter 12
Nick knocked on the cottage door and waited patiently for someone to answer. When Elise appeared at the door, he presented the small bouquet of flowers he’d purchased shortly after delivering her to her home earlier.
“I thought you might enjoy these. I know we’ll be leaving tomorrow, but maybe you can enjoy them tonight.”
Elise drew them to her face and breathed in deep. “I’ll take them with me on the ship. They won’t require that much room. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. No one has ever brought me flowers before.”
Nick started to say that he would see to it that she always had flowers, but he hesitated. He knew she enjoyed his company, but that might be a bit too presumptuous.
“Come on in, Nick,” her father called from the living room.
